PM Imran Khan likely to further expand federal cabinet

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan is set to expand the federal cabinet with the induction of two new ministers that will take its strength to 36. According to details, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) each have been assured by the government of one more ministry. Pervaiz Elahi’s son Moonis Elahi has been decided to be inducted into the cabinet and will likely take oath of Minister for Industries and Production next week. BAP has also demanded one more ministry during their meeting with the premier. The cabinet currently has 24 ministers, six state ministers and four advisers. Besides them, there are four special assistants to the prime minister, who are generally not considered to be part of the federal cabinet. Earlier in October last year, six more aides of PM Khan were inducted into the federal cabinet. Muhammad Faisal Vawda, Senator Azam Khan Swati, Muhammadmian Soomro, Ali Amin Gandapur and Sahibzada Muhammad Mehmood Sultan were sworn in as federal ministers, while Zartaj Gul Wazir was made minister of state. According to the Constitution, the maximum strength of the federal cabinet can be 49. Under Article 92 of the Constitution, “the total strength of the cabinet, including ministers of state, shall not exceed 11 per cent of the total membership of Majlis-i-Shoora (parliament)”. At present, the size of the cabinet has reached 70 percent of the allowed strength.